DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[bt tixegiufh—fer press association.!

BIGAMY' CHARGE

CHRISTCHURCH, July 21

At the Supreme Court, John George Burgess aged 01, a builder, for bigamy was sentenced to three months hard labour. The Crown stated the case had few redeeming features. It was curious that his wife lived only a short distance from where Burgess and the other woman had lived.

LABOUR AND CHINA. WELLINGTON, July 21

Tim National Executive of the Labour Party tit its last meeting considered the industrial troubles in Shanghai and decided to protest strongly against the use of British Imperial forces against the civil population. The party holds that the trouble is essentially industrial and Inis its origin in Luc conditions described in the report by Agatha Harrison, who worked in China for so many years. It our object is peace, say- the Executive, then all the facilities at the command of the British Government should he placed at the disposal of that body of Christian people who for the past few years have been endeavouring to improve the lot of Chinese workers. The position in China to-day repeats the history of industrial revolution in Great Britain.

BETTING CHARGES. WELLINGTON, July 21

On March Kith last Carl Petersen ! iudergroen was convicted and fined Cloo by Mr Page S.M., on a charge of assisting Alfred George Clements in keeping a common gaming house at Nelson. Three other charges of assisting Clements to make bets on a horse race at the totalisulor odds and printing documents containing a statement a-. t>> dividends paid on the totalizator investments and publishing documents of a like character, were adjourned pending Mr Page’s return from England. Yesterday l.imlergreen pleaded guilty to these adjourned charges, before Mr Hunt S.M. Chief Detective Kemp explained that l.indorgreeii called on him Mating he had relinquished bis no ilioti ax organising secretary ol the Dominion Sportsmen's Association and was going to Christchurch to enter business. Defendant said lie did not want these charges hanging over him like the sword of Damocles and said he Would plead guilty. Under the circumstances he merely asked for a mtivielion. '* Very well,” said the Magistrate, “convicted ami discharged on these charges.”

ERETT-RON TIMBER. RE'.N ED IN, July IS. A telegram to the Railway Board has keen dispatched by the tit ago fruitgrowers protesting against the proposed increase in railage rates on truit-box timber in shook*. and empty returns. It is requested llaiL the proposed allerntiom. be tint put into force until representations front those interested have been heard. The fruit-growers also protest against the proposed in-,-reas- of duty on imported lemons. Whilst favouring the protectiott of New Zealand industries, they hold that. Now Zealand lent,ms cannot compare with those from foreign countries and Australia. for keeping quality. 'I lie increased duly would not only increase the price, hut practically prohibit a section of the public from purchasing them.

It was also resolved t > ask the Government to remove lla- embargo on Californian lemons, as it is understood that the di-ease that warranted the embargo is now clear in districts where lemons are grown. I'll* EH [ITS. AUCKLAND. July IS. “The fruitgrowers are still 100 wealthy. They will not join until they have been more hard hit,” said Mr G. A. Green during a discussion on control of the local marketing of pip fruits at a meeting of the Council ot tlm Auckland Provincial Eruitgrowers’ Association, when a suggestion was made that the time wte. not ripe for the control scheme. Mr Green retorted: “I have watch- , J diis di<rii<sinii for .JO years, and we :ire iii the same position as we wo re ill IsOJ. lo that veal- the "rowers discussed the matter Tor lour hours, and then dt oided t hat the time was not ripe.” Mr T. W. Goodwin. Assisianl-Dtree-tnr of the Orchard Division of the Deparenieni of Agriculture, agreed that Irti l lgrowtu’s were (on well oil to join in the proposed scheme, “hut they are beginning to feel tlie pinch now. lit' added. " “Two years .ago I hey would not even have heard ol it. 11 will take another year or two hclore they will join in willingly.” COAL AT BURKE’S GREEK. It KEETON, duly IS. Developments in the Burke’s Creek coal mine have proved that coal lives down the dip in this mine. Ihe dip is down feet. The coal is hard and improving, being equal to file hast in the Dominion. It is iiiicndcd to continue the dip to prove the field lur-

.SCHORL RUGBY'. AUCKLAND, July 20.

Speaking at King's College Old Boys' reunion, Mr Vic Meredith, ol the Auckland Rugby Union, said that concerning the inter-college matches there was one opinion he held which he felt should ho voice*.l and that was the desirability of playing these matches on home

“I Ibought diil'erenLly once," said Mr Moredilh, “but .1 have ,-i youngster of my own nml am no'.v convinced that lln' home ground is the proper j>l at-o to play on. They should not lie made I scenes of almost gladiatorial contests for the gratification of the public.' (Loud applause.) iKveryono knows X am. as keen a footballer' ns anyone in I the room, but I say there is no necessity to take these school games to Kdon Park. Play them on the home fields. Mr Meredith said he hoped before , long that the Grammar School would , have playing areas that would make . the exchange of games with King's College an easy matter. COLD FOP SAfLOUS. SOVKRETGXS AGAIN IX (TRCTLATTOX. ACCKIjAND. July 20. Net the least interesting Feature of the visit of the American Fleet to Australia and New Zealand will he the fact that sovereigns will appeal’ in circulation during the stay of the vessels in these waters. While in Australian and New Zealand ports the sailors will receive their pay in gold, so that for a time at any rate the precious metal -liould not he nearly so rare as it is at present. After the departure of the fleet it is anticipated that sovereigns "ill soon disappear again, as it is not likely they will be reissued when once paid into the hanks.

The object of paying the seamen in gold is to avoid exchange difficulties. The fleet is bringing its own supply of gold for the purpose, and it will be coined into sovereigns at the mint at Svdnev.

The paymaster of the fleet. Captain AV. A. Merritt, stated that gold to the value of two million dollars is being brought out ami that approximately 1.200.000 dollars of it are for Sydney and 800.000 for Melbourne. It is not stated what proportion of the gold may he expected to reach Now Zealand. The Sydney hoard is in the strongrooms of the California, while that, for Melbourne is aboard the Omaha. With this gold there will, of course, he no

exchange costs, but merely mintage, which is said to amount to 3d an ounce. It is understood the hanks will not pay out any sovereigns for the fleet, hut will rather gather in those released by the sailors. On the day when the fleet arrives in Sydney 10,000 men are to have .shore leave, and provided the mint lias everythin" in readiness, each mail should carry about live sovereigns in his pockets. Thus a flood of nearly bo.OR) sovereigns should be .set free in Sydney next Thursday. Sufficient coal to meet most requirements would he available from the New Zealand mines, should the Dominion In: cut off from Newcastle supplies because of the Australian shipping strike. The railways and the gas companies would porlutbly he the principal sufferers. However, no such stoppage in the arrival of coal is anticipated for the Union Steam Ship Company, which is responsible for the transporting of most of the coal from Newcastle to New Zealand is not affected.

Ml! LUKE'S MISSION. AN EXPLANATION. A UCK LaXl), J itly 20. “Evidently the liquor Dade is in a very highly nervous condition when it is so alarmed hy the cabled statement that I waited on Admiral Coontz, while in Honolulu, in the interests of prohibition."’ said Mr ('. M. Luke, of Y\ ellington. to-day on arrival by the X Riga ra. Mr Luke gave a very emphatic denial to the suggestion that he had endeavoured to influence the Admiral in the matter of possible drinking among the men when the fleet is in New Zealand wateis. “1 desire to sa.v, ' stated Mr Luke, “that 1 with a delegation from the Y.M.C.A. waited on the Admiral at Honolulu in connection with the entertainment of the men when ihev arrive in New Zealand, and incidentally only was reference made f i the men of the fleet who had landed at, Honolulu in hatches of Irotn iSIiOO to 10.000 daily. 1 remarked upon the sobriety of the men. as I had mil seen one drunken man ashore. I asked ihe Admiral if he had any fear as lo consequences when tlie men arrived in wet countries, and he answered that lie had nit He said he relied on his men when visiting wet countries in maintain the same high conduct that had marked them in all instance*. ’’

A MOA SKELETON. PALMERSTON July 21. The Government Electrical Engineer and the Acclimatisation Society’s ranger relate the discovery of a magnificent inoa skeleton at \\ aikaremoana. | hcv were exploring a route lor higli tension wires last wee!,, and came Upon a ravine into wltielt access could only he. gained by ropes. In a dry cave, which had been hlnckci{ l:v a Inigo boulder, the cxpl>rcrx ftii!ml a splendid preserved sk"!"Von. which, when a-sended- will show tne bird’ slicigllt to have been 12 feci !» inches. 'I lie lead alone, has delayed. The discoverers surrounded R’.e etii.ouik cnicnl ol their lind w ith much humorous detail, attaching a pig * skull in place of the missing head, thereby mvst ifving tlm local amateur ornitholoeixts. This valuable ami interesting specimen has now been .saldy transported to Wairon.

RABBIT SKIN PRICES RISE. WELLINGTON. July 21. Hal,hit skin sales were held to-day. Prices were from 3d to 13.1 per H>. letter for good winter skins, Rim lirtu •ccured the remarkable price ol H"2d per 11 > for a line of *ui>er blacks, winch is said to he a Dominion record. Super winter looks fetched !7d and super winter docs hold.